UAE paragliding team soar to success at Ice Games in Kazakhstan

The UAE paragliding team delivered an impressive performance at the Ice Games – stage 1 and stage 2, held in Kazakhstan, in an event that attracted some of the world’s top paragliding pilots.

In these competitions — which test pilots’ skills in flight control, precision, and consistency across multiple tasks and rounds — the Emirati squad demonstrated both competitive strength and technical finesse.

Leading the charge in the overall rankings, pilot Abdullah Nasser Kashif soared to success with a third-place finish in the first stage and followed it up with first place in the second stage, underscoring his exceptional consistency and mastery in competitive flying. In the Junior category, Pilot Matar Sultan Al Ketbi delivered a commendable performance, securing third place in both stages and marking himself as one of the emerging talents in the region.

Competing in the women’s category, the UAE team was represented by pilot Yara Suleiman Khudair, who finished fifth and seventh in the first and second stages respectively, while Pilot Joudi Nasser Nasri achieved eighth and fourth place in the corresponding stages, reflecting strong international-level participation by the Emirati women pilots.

On the team level, the UAE squad — composed of Abdullah Nasser Kashif, Humaid Abdullah Al Ali, Matar Sultan Al Ketbi, and Thani Khalifa Al Raisi — clinched third place overall in both stages of the competition.

Team scoring in paragliding events typically aggregates individual pilot results to determine combined rankings, highlighting the collective depth and balanced performance of the group.

The Emirates Aerosports Federation extended its congratulations to all athletes and technical staff, applauding their high sportsmanship, discipline, and outstanding performance on the international stage.

The federation reaffirmed its commitment to further developing paragliding sport in the UAE and to continuing the proud tradition of representing the Emirati flag in global aerial sporting events.

In a statement of support and appreciation, the UAE delegation also thanked the UAE Embassy in Kazakhstan for its continuous support and coordination throughout the event, which helped provide the optimal environment for the athletes to achieve these strong results.